This invention relates to egg processing equipment and is concerned especially with improvements in a machine for breaking shell eggs and separating the albumen from the yolks.
Machines have been designed heretofore for processing egss which comprise an endless traveling conveyor on which a plurality of breaking and separating heads are carried in a path in a horizontal plane along which path collecting receptacles are positioned with associated mechanism for actuating the egg supporting, breaking and separating devices on the heads so as to receive eggs at the end of a supply conveyor, crack the eggs, open the cracked shells, dump the contents into a mechanism which separates the albumen from the yolk and deposits the same into collecting receptacles with provision for separately depositing the entire egg contents when there is a broken yolk, or when it is found that the contents is inedible and with provision for discharging the empty shells and washing the cracking and separating mechanism. Machines for this purpose which have been introduced commercially are disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,966,184 granted December, 1960, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,056 granted Nov. 25, 1969. Such machines have been accepted in the trade and operated with a high degree of success.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved egg breaking and separating machine of the type described which is adapted to operate more efficiently and at greater speed than machines heretofore provided for this purpose.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a machine for breaking shell eggs and processing the contents wherein there is provided an improved egg breaking and separating mechanism which will break the eggs, separate the albumen from the yolks and deposit the same in separate receptacles in a high efficient manner with provision for separate disposal of the whole egg contents when a yolk is broken and when the egg contents is determined by the operator to be inedible.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described with improved egg feeding and speed control arrangements which enable operation of the machine at a higher rate of speed than possible with previous machines so as to handle a much larger volume of the product without substantial increase in the size of the machine.
A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type having an improved contents separating and product collecting arrangement which facilitates inspection by the operator and enables the operator to more readily control the separating operation and the collection and disposal of the product which is separated and also any product which the operator is able to determine is inedible or otherwise in an undesirable condition.
Another object of the invention is to provide an egg breaking and separating machine wherein a series of traveling breaking and separating mechanisms are fed groups of shell eggs directly from a supply conveyor or accummulator mechanism and means is provided for controlling the feed of the shell eggs so as to transfer the eggs in groups from the feed conveyor to the breaking mechanisms simultaneously regardless of the size and weight thereof and wherein mechanism is provided for coordinating the speed of the feed mechanism and the speed of the breaking mechanisms so as to operate the machine at higher speeds than has been practical heretofore with prior breaking machines.
A further object of the invention is to provide in an egg processing machine of the type described an improved breaking and separating mechanism which is more rugged and more efficient than mechanisms provided for this purpose in previously designed machines.
A still further object of the invention is to provide in an egg processing machine of the type described a more efficient arrangement of the controls for actuating the various mechanisms which improves the operation and enables the user to operate the machine more easily and to better inspect the product so as to maintain the desired quality at the maximum operating speeds.
Another object of the invention is to provide in an egg processing machine of the type described improved arrangements for complying with sanitation requirements when in use and for enabling fast and efficient clean up of the machine after use.
A machine capable of achieving these and other objects and advantages is disclosed and claimed herein which comprises a plurality of egg breaking and contents separating mechanisms in side by side relation and mounted so as to travel continuously in an endless path in a generally horizontal plane, which egg breaking and contents separating mechanisms each comprise cradle forming means for receiving and supporting an egg and associated means for clamping the egg in the cradle, cracking the egg shell and opening the shell so as to dump the egg contents into a separating mechanism which is aligned below the cracking mechanism, means to operate the breaking and separating mechanisms so as to deposit the egg contents in predetermined collection receptacles spaced along the path and to eject the empty shell portions, continuously traveling conveyor means for feeding groups of shell eggs in row relation from the conveyor into the breaking mechanisms, means cooperating with the conveyor for effecting the transfer of the eggs from the conveyor to the breaking mechanisms simultaneously regardless of size and weight of individual eggs and means for synchronizing the speed of the egg feeding and transfer means and the travel of the breaking and separating mechanisms so as to enable operation of the machine at maximum speed.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment of an egg processing machine which incorporates therein the principle features of the invention and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein the same elements are identified in the several views by the same numerals.